Watchcase.



PATBNTED DEC. 27, 1904.

C. K. GULBY. WATGHGASE.

APPLIGATION FILED Nov.14, 1901.

Patented December 27, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OALEB K. OOLBY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

WATCHCASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,775, dated December 27, 1904.

Application filed November 14, 1901. Serial No. 82.170.

T all when@ it T11/(ty concern:

Be it known that I, OALEB K. OoLBY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Watchcases, of which the followingl is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of watchcases wherein the winding-stem, which passes into the movement through the pendant, serves as a push-pin to press in a spring-catch, and thus release the'face-cap and allows it to iy open.

The present invention is especially well adapted for use on that form of watchcase where the pendant is attached to a ring which embraces and holds the movement andthe case proper, comprising usually a back-cap and face-cap, has its parts hinged together and to the ring and close-together over the ring. The caps inv closing together snugly embrace the neck of the pendant, and one of lhem, usually the back-cap, carries the springcatch, which engages the face-cap and holds it closed. In the present construction the winding-stem in the pendant has a shoulder formed on it, preferably where its squared inner end joins the larger outer cylindrical body of the stem, and the neck of the pendant is cut away or apertured at the side, so as to permit an extension on the free end of the spring-catch to enter the path of said shoulder on the winding-stem or push-pin when the cap carrying the said catch is closed.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure lis a face view of a watchcase provided with the invention. This View shows the face-cap thrown open, the bezel being omitted. Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially in the plane indicated by line m2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section at line x3 in Fig. 2, showing the pendant and winding-stern in cross-section. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the free end of the spring-catch, showing its form. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a part of the winding-stem, and Fig. 6 shows a slightly-modiiied form of the same.

l designates the ring to receive and hold y is found in some watchcases.

the movement, (not shown,) and 2 is a covering-cap on the back of said ring. This cap To the ring l is fixed the pendant 3.

4; designates the back-cap, and 5 the .facecap, these caps being hinged together and to the ring I, as shown herein, and adapted to meet at the axis of the pendant. The latter has a neck 6, usually cylindrical, and where the back and face cap come. together at said neck they are cut away, so as to lit closely about it'. The case shown is a hunting-case, so called, and is provided with a bezel 7, Fig. 2, to hold a crystal 8. These features of a watchcase are not new.

In carrying out my invention I cut away the tubular neck 6 of the pendant to forni an aperture 9, so as to expose the winding-stem IO, which has on it a shoulder at l0, as best seen in Fig. On the back-cap l I mount a spring-catch I1, which is similar to that ordinarily employed, except that it has an extension or prolongation Il at its free end, which enters the aperture 9 in the neck of the pendant when the back-cap is closed and assumes a position in front of the shoulder 10iL or in the path traversed by said shoulder when the push-pin is pressed in by pressure on the crown 12.

The operation is simple. Then the backcap is closed, as described, and the face-cap snapped shut, the latter is engaged and held in a known way by the catch 1l. By pressure on the crown 12 the winding-stein 10 is pushed in and the shoulder IO bears on the prolongation l1 and presses in the catch ll, thus releasing the face-cap and allowingI it to fly open.

The advantage of this construction is that the spring-catch does not so engage the winding-stem as to prevent the cap which carries the catch from opening', and it avoids all extraneous parts which add to the cost and are liable to become deranged. Moreover, it permits the ordinary winding-stem to be employed without alteration or addition thereto. The projection of the shoulder IO, it will be noted, is wholly within the bore or hollow in the neck of the pendant, and this is very important, as it permits the stem to be passed in IOO through said neck. This could be done if the shoulder or part engaging the ca'tch projected out beyond the cylindrical partor body of the stem l0. Obviously with this construction the end ll of the spring-catch must be long enough to extend into the bore in the neck of the pendant when the back-cap is closed. Obviously, also, a special shoulder l0, as shown in Fig. 6, might be formed on the windingstem to bear on the spring-catch; but this will not ordinarily be required. So long as the shoulder 10iL is formed by reducing the size of the body of the stem, it will serve.

The construction, Fig. 2, shows a bezel and crystal and a metal face-cap, as in ordinary hunting-case Watches; but this is not material to my invention. The bezel 7 and glass or crystal 8 might be omitted and a crystal or glass set in the face-cap, as in open-face watclr cases.

My invention is also applicable without change to a known form of case similar to that illustrated, except that the ring l is not hinged to the caps.

Having thus described my invention, I claim" v l. A watehcase, having' a ring which carries the movement, a tubular pendant, a winding-stem mounted to play both longitudinally and rotatively in said pendant and provided with an integral shoulder formed by reduction in size ot' the body ot' the stem, said pendant having' an aperture 9 at the back of its neck, a hinged cap of the case, a spring-catch carried by said cap, said catch having an extension at its free end so disposed as to enter the aperture 9, when the said cap is closed, and take under the said shoulder on the winding-stem, and another hinged cap on the case adapted to engage said catch when closed.

2. A watchcase, having a ring which carries the movement, a tubular pendant attached to said ring and having an aperture 9 at the back, a winding-stem 10, with a cylindrical body mounted in the bore in the pendantaml provided with an integral shoulder 10 Vformed by reducing' the said cylindrical body, a backcap l and face-cap 5, hinged to said ring and adapted to close together over the same, and a spring-.catch ll, mounted on the back-cap and adapted to engage the face-cap when the caps are closed, said catch having an extension 1lLL at its free end which is so disposed that when the caps are closed it enters the aperture 9 and takes under the shoulder on the winding-stem.

3. A watchcase having a ring, hinged back and face caps, a pendant lixed to the ring, a shouldered winding-stem mounted in the pendant, and a spring-catch mounted on and carried by one of saidhinged caps and engaging the other cap when both of the caps are closed, the free end of said spring-catch entering into an aperture in the pendant and taking under the shoulder on the winding-stem when the cap which carries the spring-catch is closed, so that the said stem may serve as a push-pin on the spring-catch, substantially as and Al'or the purpose set forth.

In witness whereotI I have hereunto signed my name, this 7th day oi' November, 1901, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CALEB K. COLBY.

lVitnesses:

PETER A. Ross, HENRY CONNETT. 

